Police: Kingston man steals phone as trio threatens victim

A Kingston man is charged with snatching a cellphone from the hands of a man in Swoyersville, the latest incidence of "Apple picking" to hit the area.

Chris Benussi, 20, of 832 Rutter Ave., is charged with robbery, theft, harassment, disorderly conduct and a liquor law violation.

Swoyersville police say the victim, Joshua Young, reported that three men had approached him about 12:15 a.m. Thursday in the area of Shoemaker and Watkins streets.

One man demanded his phone, prompting Young to try walking away, police said. The man then raised his fist and said, "I'll fight you," and Young told police he was scared because he was outnumbered.

The man then snatched the Droid Razr HD cellphone from Young's hand and ran over some railroad tracks into Forty Fort, with the other two following behind, police said.

Officers found a man matching the description of one of the men involved and questioned him, according to a police affidavit. The man, David Pahler, told police he did not take the phone but he knew who did, police said.

Officers found Benussi at 64 Sullivan St., Forty Fort. The stolen phone was under a mattress on which Benussi was sitting when police found him, the affidavit says.

Magisterial District Judge David Barilla arraigned Benussi on Thursday morning and set his bail at $25,000. He was being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

The incident is the latest in a series of so-called "Apple picking" crimes the area - crimes in which robbers grab cellphones from the hands of others. The term comes from the Apple iPhone, which is a favorite among thieves.

Last week, two college students were robbed of their cellphones in downtown Wilkes-Barre within about a half-hour of each other. Last month, three teens sitting on a bench on Public Square were robbed of their phones by a group of men.

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2058

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.